


The Constellation of Love

by APastandFutureNerd



Series: Of Gods and Heroes, Goddesses and Heroines [1]
Category: The Iliad - Homer, The Song of Achilles - Madeline Miller
Genre: A nice evening without angst or tragedy, Ancient Greece, Boys In Love, Don’t copy to another site, Ficlet, Fluff, Implied Sexual Content, Inspired by The Song of Achilles, Love, M/M, Not Beta Read, Oneshot, Patroclus pov, Romantic Vibes, Smitten Patroclus, Stargazing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-03
Updated: 2020-05-03
Packaged: 2021-03-01 18:34:23
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 1
Words: 945
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23991628
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/APastandFutureNerd/pseuds/APastandFutureNerd
Summary: This scene is set during the time when Achilles and Patroclus were educated together by Chiron, the centaur on Mount Pelion. One night, Patroclus asks Chiron to let them spend the night together after the nocturnal lesson. And he gets his wish fulfilled. Patroclus and Achilles spend the night together.
Relationships: Achilles & Patroclus of Opus (Ancient Greek Religion & Lore), Achilles/Patroclus (Song of Achilles)
Series: Of Gods and Heroes, Goddesses and Heroines [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1730836
Comments: 5
Kudos: 56





	The Constellation of Love

**Author's Note:**

> I discovered the story of Achilles and Patroclus thanks to Hannibal. I wouldn’t be so obsessed with Greek mythology without the show. This is based mostly on The Song of Achilles though.

Night had set in and a long day full of duties came to an end. It was time for another lesson. Noticing Chiron’s silhouette appearing on the illuminated, stony ground near the entrance of their tent, Achilles stopped playing the beautiful ballad on the lyre, my lyre, and got up. I followed him, though I regretted I could not listen to his wonderful play and his voice any longer after this long day of separation and tiresome duties.  
  
We stepped outside and followed the centaur down to the hill where we would receive a lecture on the constellations. It was a beautiful, tepid summer night with the cicadas singing the serenade, hidden in the cypress trees. Up in the sky, the stars shone a bright silver light on us. The constellations in the sky were magnificent to behold. Chiron did not comment when we settled down on the warm earth of Mount Pelion together, sitting closer as his pupils usually did. He began to tell the stories - about how the stars came to be, how the heroes, the gods of old ascended into the sky to watch over the world. 

Achilles listened intently and so did I as I felt it was important to him. But I had not the patience and endurance of my friend and soon I shifted my gaze to Achilles who took notes on parchment paper, his pen moving swiftly in his hand. Chiron’s explanations about the heroes that had ascended into the night sky were surely important but this lesson was lost on me as I sat next to him, my right hand clasped with his left. I stared at him the whole time, for who knew how long we would be together? 

Chiron must have noticed I didn’t pay any attention to his lesson as he kept on asking Achilles all the questions and his opinion, his own thoughts about the meaning of it all. Pride welled up inside my chest because Achilles answered every question with ease and confidence. Very soon after, Chiron stood up, telling us to go to bed for the next day would be tiring but I stopped in my tracks, making Achilles and Chiron halt as well.

“Patroclus?” Achilles spoke, wondering why I halted. “What is the matter? We should go back.”

My heart pounded fast in my chest but I needed to ask this. “Let us spend some time here together, Chiron”, I pleaded. “Please.” 

Chiron sighed. The centaur cocked his head and flung a stern, piercing look at me. I knew he was looking into my soul, probably guessing and foretelling my fate, knowing that this what we had now was not going to last forever because Achilles was destined for greater things. 

“It is your decision”, he finally said. “But don’t take, too long, and come back until dawn.” Chiron scrutinized Achilles intently. “Or your mother will scold me.”

I shuddered at the thought of Thetis appearing, enraged, probably tearing off Chiron’s head or worse if she found out. Even if she wasn’t angry, her presence made shivers run down my spine and my heart heavy as lead. I walked up closer to Achilles, resting my hand on his broad shoulders and inhaled his particular, special scent and brushed away some droplets of sweat from his neck. Achilles tensed but let me caress him and tuck the bangs of his ash-blonde hair hanging loose behind his ear.

“Thank you”, I called back. Chiron merely scrutinized me with his amber eyes, then turned away and walked up the slope to his cave.

When he was gone and out of sight, we were finally alone for the second time during the day if we count the short stay in the tent. My knees were weak and I feared collapsing to the ground any time. I could not move at first, overwhelmed as I was. Achilles noticed that and took me by my hand. “Come now, Patroclus”, Achilles told me and led me to the dry, parched grass, a good distance away from the stony podium where we had sat and learned about the origin and meaning of the divine constellations.

With gentle hands, Achilles pulled me down and helped me find a spot where the earth was not that unyielding and uncomfortable. Nuzzling in his neck as he held me close in his arms, I felt the heat radiating off his body. I smelled the salt of the sea, the musk, and sweat of today’s training.Achilles nuzzled back and gave me a chaste kiss to the forehead before his lips finally wandered further down until they found mine. 

Watched by the ancient gods and heroes of old in the astral world above, our lips met for soft and gentle kisses before we relented to the carnal greed and rubbed our bodies against each other with pleasant moans. We lay with each other, disregarding Chiron’s warning. We lay there, naked, our bodies entangled and covered with sweat until the faint pink of the morning appeared on the horizon and another day of training dawned upon us, meaning I wouldn’t see Achilles very often while the king kept him busy. 

Achilles gazed back at me and gave me last knowing smile before riding off. During the day I whistled to myself, happy as I could be, and went back to resume my tasks which were far from spectacular as Achille's duties and tasks were greater than mine. Not even Thetis’ threat that death should find me soon would darken it.

One thing was for sure. I would hold it dear for the rest of my life and afterlife in the underworld that followed afterward. 


End file.
